World hails Lorde after double Grammy

Lorde and her entourage were on the guest list for all the hot post-Grammy parties last night after her double win — but the 17-year-old was sticking to sparkling water.

Lorde poses in the press room. Photo / AP

MPs have paid tribute to the "stunning success" of double Grammy award winner Lorde in Parliament this afternoon.

Prime Minister John Key sought leave to make a motion to congratulate Ella Yelich-O'Connor on winning Best Pop Solo Performance and Song of the Year at yesterday's awards.

Mr Key said the 17-year-old singer and her co-writer Joel Little had achieved something no other New Zealanders had managed.

"And it has happened so quickly and so comprehensively that it has taken the world by surprise."

Mr Key added: "She is just 17 years old but what is most remarkable about Ella is that she has done it all in her own way - typically Kiwi, an unassuming way. If there were rules, no one told Lorde."

Labour Party leader David Cunliffe said Ms Yelich-O'Connor was a role model for all young New Zealanders and local musicians.

Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei noted the importance of Lorde's support - from her family, friends and the creative community.

"She is a fantastic example of what can be achieved by our young people if they have the support that they need."

Ms Turei also praised the fact her Grammy-winning song Royals spoke against "crazy wealth" and "crazy greed".

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters congratulated Lorde and Mr Little on their "stunning success", while adding: "We do not seek any vicarious benefit in this parade today, suffice to say ... we are very proud of you."

Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell said Lorde joined a long queue of New Zealand Grammy winners who had brought pride to their country, beginning with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa in 1984.

He praised the honesty of her song-writing: "We love the fact that she keeps it real and writes about real things that are important to her."

Mr Flavell added: "I've got to say that Beyonce still does it for me, but Lorde is still right up there."

Takapuna Grammar celebrates Lorde's success

Lorde's Grammy success was celebrated at her old school this morning, with a special assembly welcoming students back for the new year.

A large banner emblazoned with 'CONGRATULATIONS' and a picture of the 17-year-old - real name Ella Yelich-O'Connor - was unfurled at Takapuna Grammar on Auckland's North Shore, while a group of Year 13 prefects sang Royals.

A group of her friends said they were shocked by her double success - for song of the year and best pop solo performance.

"I kind of expected her to win at least one of the things she was nominated for," said former classmate Maddy Mitchell.

Albert Cho said he was regularly in touch with his former maths and media studies classmate via email and Facebook.

They were last in touch this morning, talking about how humbling the experience and flood of congratulations were, he said.

Her successes hadn't changed her, Mr Cho said. "On messages she seems a bit sassy, but you see her in person and she's completely herself."

He was planning on attending her show at Silo Park tomorrow but had to turn down the offer of a free ticket.

"She offered, but my parents went crazy ... they said 'this is her job now, it's not like her hobby, this is how she makes her money now'."

'It's business as usual'

Lorde and her entourage were on the guest list for all the hot post-Grammy parties last night after her double win - but the 17-year-old was sticking to sparkling water.

Her manager, Scott MacLachlan, who was sitting with the Kiwi singing sensation in the third row at the music world's biggest awards ceremony, had just left the Staples Centre and was trying to organise the teenager when he spoke to the Herald from Los Angeles.

"It's strange, it's business as usual. We're just getting everyone together to go to the after-show party ... so it's just logistics and getting everything right, but obviously we're stoked for Ella and the whole team, and the record company and everything else.

"She's pretty chuffed. She's just had to have a quick costume change ... and then we'll all go together."

The teenager is too young to drink alcohol in the US and said backstage that she was planning to spend the night "drinking a lot of sparkling water".

'Weirdo won out' - Lorde

Lorde added that she was "stoked" about her wins.

Asked about her music and style being unconventional, she said: "Yeah, this time the weirdo won out."

She also revealed she had big plans for 2014, but refused to give away what they were, saying simply: "You will find out."

The group with Lorde, including her parents, Sonja and Vic O'Connor, her boyfriend, James Lowe, and producer and joint Grammy winner Joel Little and his family, were staying at a hotel just off Sunset Boulevard in west Hollywood.

Partying with the Lorde

Lorde with her Grammy awards. Photo / Getty Images

They were to attend the after-party for Lorde's label, Universal Music, as well as a Republic Records party and a function hosted by fellow winners Daft Punk.

"There are multiple parties," Mr MacLachlan said. "We'll try and make our own one at the hotel as well, if we make it. You run the gauntlet a little bit at these parties and a lot of people want to say hello and congratulate Ella, so we'll just see how we go."

He said the fact Lorde won two gongs, for best pop solo performance and song of the year, which made her the youngest New Zealander to win a gilded gramophone, was still sinking in.

"To be honest, when I open the LA Times tomorrow morning, it will sink in a bit more. I'm sure there'll be some information in there (on her) and I would have had 12 hours to digest it.

"It's a massive amount of relief and excitement and fun, but you have a huge amount of disbelief as well because the whole situation is pretty surreal."

Proud parents' pool plunge

Lorde's parents jumped into their hotel swimming pool with their clothes on after the Kiwi singing sensation picked up two Grammy Awards at yesterday's ceremony.

Sonja Yelich and Vic O'Connor told Radio New Zealand today that they were immensely proud of their 17-year-old daughter, who won Grammys for Song of the Year and best Pop Solo Performance.

"As a mum when I sat there, I was in shock. I have to tell you I was absolutely in shock,'' Ms Yelich said.

"We were on the rooftop having our own party, a good big bunch of us up there, and it culminated in us all jumping into the pool in our Grammy clothes.''

Ms Yelich said her daughter, real name Ella Yelich-O'Connor, was taking winning two of the music industry's holy grails in her stride.

"She's a very calm person and she handles these things very well. She will never get flustered, maybe internally, but she has a very cool appearance externally. It's another day today for her.

"When she got her four Tui awards, the next morning I said to her 'where are these awards?' She said 'I have got them, mum, but somebody else took them home, I'm just not sure who at the moment'.''

Mr O'Connor said his daughter was still writing songs and anticipated it wouldn't be long until she followed up her smash hit album Pure Heroine.

"Ella's got all sorts of things going on in that brain of hers and I know she's got all sorts of things that she wants to get out, and over the next six months I'm sure that she'll create something new.''

The family will be on a plane back to New Zealand later today because Lorde is due to perform in Auckland on Wednesday.

Congrats from the big names

Little said he and Lorde had been congratulated by rapper Jay-Z and director Quentin Tarantino.

The former Goodnight Nurse singer said they "could never have imagined" they would win.

"It's one of those things, for whatever reason, a guy that spent 10 years in a pop-punk band and a 15-year-old kid connected and somehow managed to write an amazing song."

The group are to leave LA for Auckland today, in time for Lorde's homecoming concert tomorrow at Silo Park on the waterfront. She was to have performed at yesterday's Laneway Festival but the schedule clashed with the awards show.

How the win will literally pay off

As a two-time Grammy winner, Lorde may now be able to double her concert ticket prices and will likely receive a major financial boost to her career.

It is known in the industry as a "Grammy Bounce". Barbadian singer Rihanna's fee doubled after she won her first Grammy in 2008, jumping from US$150,000 ($182,000) to US$300,000, according to American business magazine Forbes.

The figures, from concert data provider Pollstar, showed Bruno Mars had a 55 per cent increase from his 2011 Grammy win and pop country star - and new friend of Lorde - Taylor Swift had a gain of 380 per cent with her 2010 Grammy win.

Lorde has already been forced to defend her $69 ticket prices for her Silo Park show. The price had already more than doubled since her first tour in May, which included two intimate shows in Auckland and Wellington. Tickets then cost $25.

Last night, the star took to the stage in a floor-length black dress by French fashion house Balenciaga and appeared shocked when her name was announced for the best pop solo performance.

"This is the one thing that I did not expect about tonight so thank you so much ... I've been inspired by all of your vocal performances at some point in my life."

Along with co-writer and producer Little, Lorde scooped best song for Royals.

After accepting the award from singing legend Carole King and Bareilles, Lorde praised Little, saying: "I probably wouldn't be here if Joel wasn't here. This guy's nurtured me through kind of my first years of song writing, which I will forever owe him."

She added: "Thank you to everyone who has let this song explode, because it's been mental."

She also thanked her family and label, Universal.

Lorde lost out for record of the year to Daft Punk and Pharell Williams for Get Lucky, and her album Pure Heroine lost to Bruno Mars' Unorthodox Dukebox for pop vocal album.

She performed second at the ceremony, after music power couple Jay Z and Beyonce - who she was seen chatting to afterwards.

Lorde was introduced by host LL Cool J, who said: "This young woman comes from New Zealand, and has quickly become a global sensation."

There have been at least 10 Grammy wins for New Zealanders, with the most recent being Kimbra, who last year won record of the year and best pop duo/group with Australian musician Gotye for Somebody That I Used to Know.

The earliest win was Dame Kiri Te Kanawa for The Marriage of Figaro, in 1984.